Andrea Pirlo, a Juventus legend as a player, transitioned to coaching and seized the chance to lead the team following Maurizio Sarri’s departure. While he did not capture the elusive UEFA Champions League, he successfully guided the team to the 2020-21 Italian Cup and the 2020-21 Italian Super Cup victory. Despite these achievements, his former assistant recently made a shocking revelation about his management involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala.
“Pirlo didn’t like Dybala, and Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t fit in with his style of play at all. He wanted to press high up the pitch, and the data showed that Cristiano Ronaldo was the worst at sprinting. He didn’t want him, but there was nothing he could do. It was simply Cristiano Ronaldo… He preferred Alvaro Morata, who fit perfectly into his approach. His system didn’t work with Ronaldo, but he couldn’t change it,” Alparslan Erdem said, via BILD.
Upon his arrival at Juventus, Andrea Pirlo implemented a tactical system that positioned Cristiano Ronaldo as the starting center forward, with Dejan Kulusevski excelling as the second striker. Although Pirlo initially preferred a forward known for aggressive pressing, Ronaldo defied expectations by netting 36 goals in 44 matches during the 2020-21 campaign, establishing him as the key figure in the Italian squad.
In stark contrast, Paulo Dybala faced a challenging season as he found himself relegated to the bench despite previous successes with the team. Throughout the 2020-21 season, the Argentine star managed just 26 appearances, contributing 5 goals and 4 assists. This reduced role ultimately led to the Juventus management’s decision not to renew his contract. Consequently, Dybala departed as a free agent in 2022, signing with AS Roma.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus celebrates with the TIMVISION cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus stint marked by criticism despite elite performances
After joining Juventus in 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo revitalized his career by securing two Serie A titles (2018-19, 2019-20), a Coppa Italia (2020-21), and two Italian Super Cups (2018, 2020). With 101 goals in 134 appearances, he established himself as a pivotal figure for the Italian side. Despite this success, prominent figures, including former Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli, criticized Ronaldo’s tenure.
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“Signing Cristiano Ronaldo was a huge mistake. I said so from day one. He’s a great player, a champion, but too expensive. Now everything is in the hands of Juventus, who pay him a million euros for every goal… I can’t blame Pirlo. Andrea Agnelli [2021 team’s president] took a lot of risks and no longer wanted Maurizio Sarri. He accepted because it was Paratici and Nedved’s choice,” Giovanni Cobolli said in 2021, as reported by ESPN.
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Juventus aiming to clinch the Champions League title, yet the team did not advance beyond the quarterfinals since his arrival. This is not a failure on Ronaldo’s part; rather, it highlights the front office’s inability to construct a formidable squad, exacerbated by coaching instability. Ronaldo delivered on his promise by consistently scoring goals, but Juventus fell short in building a truly competitive project team around him.
